Dental material and method for the control of caries and paradentitis

Abstract

A dental material for the control of caries and paradentitis is described, which contains an active agent combination of thymol and/or carvacrol and chlorhexidine and/or the physiologically compatible salts thereof. The dental material can be a dental varnish or a material such as a dental cement and the like, which remains in the oral cavity for a long period and from which the active combination can diffuse out.

I claim: 
     
       1. A long-acting prophylactic and therapeutic dental material for the selective hardening of carious dentine and for the control of caries and paradentitis consisting essentially of a carrier and an antibacterial active substance diffusable into teeth from said carrier, said antibacterial active substance comprises a combination of a first component selected from the group consisting of thymol, carvacrol, and physiologically compatible salts thereof in an amount of from about 10 to about 0.05 weight percent of said dental material, and a second component selected from the group consisting of chlorhexidine and physiologically compatible salts thereof in an amount of from about 2 to about 0.01 weight percent of said dental material, said combination resulting in an improved antimicrobial effect adapted to be diffused into the tooth by diffusion from said carrier, said carrier comprising a member selected from the group consisting of dental cement, dental fillings, dental underfillings, dental sealing materials, crowns, bridges, prostheses and dental varnishes. 
     
     
       2. A method of selectively hardening carious dentine and controlling caries and paradentitis comprising: A. forming a prophylactic and therapeutic dental material consisting essentially of an antibacterial active substance and a carrier, said antibacterial active substance consisting a combination of a first component selected from the group consisting of thymol, carvacrol, and physiologically compatible salts thereof in an amount of from about 10 to about 0.05 weight percent of said antibacterial active substance, and a second component selected from the group consisting of chlorhexidine and physiologically compatible salts thereof in an amount of from about 2 to about 0.01 weight percent of said antibacterial active substance, said combination resulting in an improve antimicrobial effect said carrier selected from the group consisting of dental cement, dental fillings, dental underfillings, dental sealing materials, dental fastening materials, crowns, bridges, prostheses, and dental varnishes;   B. applying said dental material to teeth;   C. continuously diffusing said antibacterial active substance into the dentine of said teeth from said carrier.   
     
     
       3. The dental material according to claim 1, wherein said first component is present in a quantity of from 5 to 0.25% by weight of said dental material, and said second component is present in a quantity of from 1 to 0.05% by weight of said dental material. 
     
     
       4. The dental material according to claim 1, wherein said first component is present in a quantity of from 2 to 0.5% by weight of said dental material, and said second component is present in a quantity of from 0.5 to 0.1% by weight of said dental material. 
     
     
       5. The dental material according to claim 1 further containing fluoride ions in an amount of from 5 to 0.05 weight percent of the total formulation. 
     
     
       6. The dental material according to claim 1, wherein said carrier is a dental varnish comprising a solution of colophony in an organic solvent. 
     
     
       7. The dental varnish according to claim 6, wherein said organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propanol and amyl acetate.